Tag Archives: Ben Sheets

Maybe this will be the summer in which the Mets fire Omar Minaya. It also might be the summer in which they get it all together.

Care to guess which one has a greater chance of happening?

MINAYA: Just how much power does he have?

At the end of last summer’s disaster, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon and Minaya said there would be trades and free-agent signings. Nothing has happened between then and now to indicate there will be a real change – and, spare me Jason Bay.

It’s known throughout the industry that the Mets just don’t do it the way the model clubs do – and that includes the Yankees and Phillies. There is no definable budget, or at least one that can be easily recognized. And, there was no real setting of priorities.

How else can you explain the setting the goal as pitching at the end of the season, and yet having your key offseason move be a hitter who really had nowhere else to go?

It was reported Joel Pineiro and Jason Marquis set the Mets as their priorities, but the Mets did not respond. No, neither is John Lackey, but either would have made the Mets’ rotation better and deeper than it is today.

The Met were more content to look at last season as an injury-plagued fluke, and ignored such factors as not improving their pitching depth in the 2008 offseason or building their long-criticized farm system as to provide replacements when a starter went down.

OK, the Mets have Bay, but with no other real bidders they coughed up a fifth-year option. … They got into a spitting match with Carlos Beltran, their best player, over surgery, which should have been avoided with surgery in November. … There were no decisive changes in their coaching staff. … And, their pitching remains the same.

Randy Wolf, Pineiro and Ben Sheets all went elsewhere for salaries that didn’t break anybody’s bank. The Mets by the way, had an ERA of just under five a game.

Minaya has made his share of mistakes, beginning with the Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez contracts, but truth be told, ownership signs off on those type of deals. They weren’t done without Wilpon’s blessing.

So, a miserable start – and with that pitching, who doubts that could happen? – could mean the sacking of Minaya. But, that won’t change anything because they are the same old Mets.

It’s strange asking this inside a month before spring training, but do the Mets have a plan to get better? With all their talk about pitching and defense/speed to complement Citi Field, what exactly have the Mets done to become that kind of team?

The best available pitcher in the market went to the Red Sox, with hardly a whimper coming from the Mets’ camp. Come to think of it, all of the available pitchers on the market went elsewhere or are lingering in the discount aisle.

Of course, adding Ben Sheets changes that to some degree. Sheets is still an injury gamble, and even with him, there are three more questions in the rotation. But, it’s better than remaining stagnant.

The biggest acquisition is an outfielder, with reports now coming his former team wanted to redo its offer because of health concerns. Adding Jason Bay without improving the rotation doesn’t improve the team dramatically, at least not to where they should be considered legitimate contenders.

Gary Matthews Jr., only illustrates there’s nothing in the minor league levels to promote in case of emergency. Don’t you think if Fernando Martinez were ready it would have been him?

The bullpen remains a mess and the rotation is Johan Santana and the Four Questions.

Plan?

The plan was to wait for everybody to get healthy and better and hope for the best. I wrote that last October. That was shot when Carlos Beltran went down. There is no real plan, at least nothing of substance.

Published reports have the Met serious about pitching, and have contacted Ben Sheets. They also have interest in former Yankee Chien-Ming Wang, who is coming off shoulder surgery and won’t be available until May 1. The team is also reported to be interested in John Smoltz and Jon Garland.

The word is very encouraging about Wang, who has been throwing pain free for seven weeks. Because of the abundance of off-days in April, the Mets can afford to wait until Wang is ready.

Sheets, who missed all of last season following surgery, is also throwing without difficulty. Reports are he could go for $8 million for one year.

I like the idea of Smoltz for the bullpen and buying time for Wang.

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Elsewhere, the Mets are considering adding the often-injured Chad Tracy as well as bringing back Fernando Tatis. The Mets are also looking at bringing back Carlos Delgado, who has played winter ball mostly as a DH, which doesn’t answer the basic question about his durability.

Ben Sheets might be the best pitcher out there, but he’s damaged goods. Sheets, who missed all of last season following elbow surgery, worked out before league scouts and was given a hearty “thumbs up.”

One scout told the MLB Network: “Good mechanics. Great shape. Is way ahead of where he’d be velocity wise at [the beginning of a] normal spring.”

The Mets, in need of rotation help, will compete with the Cubs, Rangers, Seattle and St. Louis, who are also said to be interested.

Initially, Sheets was after a one-year deal worth $12 million, but reportedly the market is at one year for $8 million and loaded with incentives.Continue reading →

At one time, Joel Pineiro was seeking three years at $10 million a season. One published report had the Mets in it for $15 million over two years – with an inevitable option – which is far more palatable. Considering Pineiro’s history – don’t forget, he’s only a handful of games over .500 for his career – this is a more realistic starting point.

Meanwhile, Ben Sheets, a reclamation project, is thinking about a one year deal for $12 million, with the Cubs interested. Sheets might turn out all right, but he might not, also, and he’s too big a risk for the Mets.